The Brookhaven Police Department will take to the streets July 31, marking the one year anniversary since residents voted to become a city.

“One of the main reasons behind becoming a city was the safety of our community,” Brookhaven Police Chief Gary Yandura said.

“By having its own police department, Brookhaven can have more partnership with its law enforcement to work together in protecting and serving our community.”

The city has hired 54 officers to patrol and protect the city. This includes 39 patrol officers and investigators, nine sergeants, three lieutenants and a deputy chief.

“This is an important step in our city’s history,” Mayor J. Max Davis said in a statement. “The chief and his team have spent the past few months combing through resumes and we are excited to have the best of the best keeping our community safe.”

Yandura said the officers represent several of the most experienced law enforcement in the state, and the city has assembled a great team and they are excited to begin protecting and serving Brookhaven.

The patrol officers reported July 15 for training, which includes physical training, weapons tactics, policies and procedures and ethics.

The chief, deputy chief and several supervisors, who are certified POST instructors by the Georgia Peace Officers Standards and Training Council, are leading the training.

It has included classroom training on policies, procedures, human resources and operations. They also are doing firearms and Taser training, as well as neighborhood tours.

Officers will work out of six patrol zones based on natural boundaries, streets, traffic accident numbers, calls for services and crime statistics from DeKalb County Police. Officers, however, will be deployed based on the needs of the city.

“We are focused on learning the neighborhoods of Brookhaven,” Yandura said.

“This includes the people who live and work in Brookhaven.”

The city received more than 1,200 applications from law enforcement officers and interviewed 156 candidates.

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